Sheet-feeding apparatus.



A. B. DlCK.

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HlED MAR- 8. m5.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented May 25, 1915.

A. B. DICK.

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. I915,

Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L m N! W M K A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT B. DICK, OF LAKE FOREST, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A. B. DICK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATIQN 01? ILLINOIS.

SHEET-FEEDING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915.

Original application filed July 23, 1913, Serial R0. 78 .16%. Divided and this application filed March 8, 1915. Serialllo.12,740.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it lmown that I, ALBERT B. DICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lake Forest, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Feeding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

M invention relates to apparatus for feeding sheets successively from a pile to mechanism which is to operate upon the sheets, such as a stencil-duplicating or printing machine.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 7 80,642 for improvements in stencil-duplicating machines, filed July 23, 1913.

The object of the invention is to effect certain improvements in the construction of apparatus of this character, whereby it is made more eflicient and reliable in its op eration.

The invention involves sheet-feeding apparatus of the type in which one sheet of a pile is buckled to detach it from the other sheets and when so detached is fed from the pile, and is an improvement upon the device dmcribed in my Patent No. 1,054,637, sheet-feeding apparatus, granted February 25, 1913. In the said patent devices are provided for dete the extent or portion to vary the area of t e sheet which will be buckled, means being provided whereby these determining devices may be adjusted to vary the area of the sheet which will be subjected to the buckling, this construction being of articular utility in adapting the machine or use with paper of varying wei ts.

y present improvementis chiefly concerned with means for supporting and oper' ating the determining devices referred to, in the operation of the machine. These dete devices comsprisc a bar adapted to coact with the top ect. of the pile and supported by pivoted arms. My improvement provides efiective means whereby this bar may be supported in inoperative position while inserting a new pile of sheets on the feedboard, devices being provided to cause the automatic lowering of this bar from such position into its operative position, in the operation of the machine after :he pile of sheets has been inserted in posiion.

In order that a clearer understanding of my invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a central vertical section through a stencildupl icating machine provided with my invention, various parts of the duplicating machine being omitted, Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of the machine inside one of the side frames of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of a portion of the operating mechanism of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the drum of a stencil-dup 'cating machine is shown at l, and this eoaets with a pressure-roller 2, these parts being mounted between sideframes 3 which rise from a base 4. The feedboard of the machine is in two parts 5 and 6, the upper surfaces of which are in substantial a' ement. The part 6 of the feedboard rocks about a rod 7 to carry the top sheet of the pile on the feed board into and out of contact with a sheet-feeding roller or rollers 8. When the roller 8 is in contact with a sheet, it is rotated in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1, and buckles the sheet between the roller and a' bar 9 until the end of the sheet is caught by a projection upon the surface of roller 8 and is carried around on top of the roller. At that time another roller 10 is lowered into contact with the sheet and the latter is forwarded between rollers 8 and 10, the sheet being fed in the machine illustrated between the drum 1 and the pressureroller 2 of the duplicating machine, to receive the desired impression from a stencil on the drum. The bar 9 is carried by arms 11 pivotally mounted at 12 upon the sideframes of the machine. Arms 11 are provided with a series of openings 12 in any pair of which the bar 9 may be positioned, to vary the area of the sheet which will be subjected to buckling, this adjustment being desirable in operating upon paper of different weights.

In the operation of the machine, the mom able portion 6 of the feedboard is rocked upwardly and downwardly to bring the top sheet of the pile on the feedboard into and out of contact with the under side of roller or feeder S at the appropriate times, and arms 11 carrying bar 9 are rocked upwardly and downwardly to cause the bar 9 to bear upon the top sheet at the proper periods to enable the top sheet to be buckled between feeder S and bar 9, and then to raise bar 9 out of contact with the top sheet. In the form of my invention illustrated, the movable portion 6 of the feedboard is rocked about rod 7 by mechanism similar to that described in my Patent 1,086,351, sheetfeeding apparatus, dated February 10, 1914, the operation being such that the portion 6 of the feedboard is raised, during each rotation of the drum 1, to brin the top sheet of the pile into contact wit the feeder 8, after which the portion 6 of the feedboard is rocked downwardly by an amount which is always substantially the same, regardless of the thickness of the pile of sheets. The rocking of part 6 of the feedboard is caused by the oscillation of an arm 31 secured on rock-shaft 18, actuated by the following mechanism. Cam 13, on shaft 14, coacts with a roller 15, carried by the vertical arm 16 of a bell-crank lever having a horizontal arm 17, this lever being loosely mounted on rockshaft 18, which extends between the side-frames of the machine. Shaft 1i is continuously rotated during the operation of the machine by gear connection 19 with the drum 1. The roller on arm 16 is held in engagement with cam 13 by a spring 20 secured at one end to a suitable abutment 21, and at the other end to an arm (not shown) of the lever 16, 17 depending below the shaft 18. At its free end, the arm 17 of the lever above described has a member 22 pivotally mounted thereon, which member carries a pawl 23 and a roller 24. This roller is adapted to engage a stationary abutment 25 upon the adjacent side-frame. A spring 26 tends to turn the member 22 in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 2. When the member '22 is so turned the pawl '23 engages a rack '27 secured to and extending upwardly from an arm 28 of a lever which is secured to the rock-shaft 18. This lever has a downwardly extending arm 29 to which is secured one end of a spring 30, whose other end is secured to the frame. as shown in Fig. The shaft 18 also has an arm 31 secured thereon, referred to above, the free end of this arm carrying a pin 32 which lies in a slot 33 in a member 34 secured to the under side of the part 6 of the feedboard. By this mechanism, as cam 13 rotates, arm 17 is raised and lowered by the coaction of roller 15 on cam 13, spring '20 holding the roller in engagement with the same. As arm 17 is raised, carrying with it arm 28 by the engagement of pawl with rack 27, the roller 2-1 engages the abutment 25 so that pawl 23 releases rack 27, whereupon the spring is free to turn lever 28, 29 and the rock-shaft IS in a further clockwise direction, arm 31 on the shaft 18 turnin the part 6 of the feedboard about rock-sha T to carry the top of the sheet pile upwardly into contact with feeder 8. As arm 17 moves downwardly, the pawl 23 will engage the rack 27. so as to move the lever 28 down with the lever 17 and thus carry the end of the feedboard downwardly again. By this mechanism, the downward movement of the feedboard 6 is made independent of the thickness of the pile of paper thereon. The feedboard is moved downwardly the same amount each time throughout the operation of the machine in operating upon a large pile of sheets. Arms 11 carrying bar 9 are pivoted, as stated, at 12 to the side-frames of the machine. These arms 11 are pivotally connected at their lower extremities to links 35, which latter are pivotally connected at their lower ends to arms 36, which latter are secured to a rock-shaft 37. Links 35 and arms 36 together constitute to gles. Rock-shaft 37 carries a crank 38 as s own in Fig. 3, having its end connected to a link 39, provided with a roller 40, riding on the periphery of-a cam 41 secured to the shaft 14, the link 39 being provided with a slot through which the shaft 14 extends. In the normal operation of the machine, the arms 11 and bar 9 carried thereby are raised by the coaction of roller 40 and cam 41, throu the link and crank connections just descri d, as the feedboard is lowered to carry the top sheet out of contact with feeder 8. This somewhat straightens the toggles 35, 36. As the feedboard is raised to bring the top sheet of the pile into contact with feeder 8, roller 40 passes on to a lower portion of cam -11 permitting bar 9 to be lowered into contact with the top sheet of the ile, this position being shown in Fig. 4 in w ich bar 9 is in contact with the top sheet 42 of the pile, and the latter is being buckled between feeder 8 and bar 9.

It is desirable to have bar 9 so arranged that it may be supported in an inoperative elevated position while inserting a new pile of sheets on the feedboard. The toggle arrangement of the links 35, 36 serves this purpose and provides a positive support for the arms 11 and bar 9 when the latter are raised to such position. When it is desired to insert a new pile of sheets. the arms 11 may be raised by means of the hand rod 43 extending between the arms 11. the toggle links 35, 36 being straightened into line with each other. as shown in Fig. 2. In this p0sition,the arms 11 and bar 9 are positively supported in the desired inoperative position, the pressure exerted by arms 11 upon links 35 having no turning effect upon the toggle links, it being necessary to break the toggle to enable arms 11 to be lowered so that roller 40 may again cooperate with cam 41 in the operation of the machine.

while inserting a new pile of sheets on the feedboard, it is desirable to depress the forward end of the same in addition to raising bar 9. Lever 28 is provided with a handle 44 extending through the adjacent side-frame of the machine, this handle being de ressed to lower the feedboard when desire lever 28 preferably being secured in depressed position, while inserting a new pile of sheets, by a latch (not shown). I provide means whereby the upward movement of lever 28 and the feedboard, after a new pile of sheets has been inserted on the feedboard, and the handle 44: has been unlatched, causes the support of arms 11 to be taken away and bar 9 lowered into operative position. This is efiected automatically by 2. lug 45 mounted on the side of arm 28 and so positioned that when arm 2 8 is raised. lug 45 will en age the toggle links 35, 36 at the pivota connection thereof, with a camming action, and force the pivotal connection of the toggle links to the left, referring to Fig. 2, to cause buckling of the toggle and consequent lowering of arms 11. After a sheet has been buckled between the feeder 8 and bar 9 and the end of the sheet has been carried over the feeder, the roller 10 is lowered upon the sheet. This roller 10 is carried by arms 46 secured to a rockshaft 47, which has an arm 48 (Fig. 3) secured thereto and carrying a roller which rides on the periphery of a cam 49 secured to shaft 14, a spring 50 holding the roller in contact with the cam. This cam therefore serves to raise and lower the roller 10 as is required for proper coaction of that roller with the feeder 8.

Having now articularly described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows I. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a feedboard, a rotatable feeder overlyin the same, adapted to buckle the top sheet of a pile on the feedboard and feed it from the feedboard, a bar parallel to the feeder and adapted to coact with the top sheet to determine the extent of the sheet to be buckled by said feeder, means for causing the feeder and the top sheet periodically to come into and move out of contact, and means for automatically causing the movement of said bar into contact with the top sheet when the feeder contacts the same, and out of contact therewith at other times, said means including connections adapted to coact to form a positive support for said bar when the latter is elevated to an inoperative position beyond the range of the automatic movements of said bar, substantially as set forth.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a feedboard, a rotatable feeder overlying the same, ada ted to buckle the top sheet of a pile on the eedboard and feed it from the feedboard, a bar parallel to the feeder and adapted to coact with the top sheet to determine the extent of the sheet to be buckled by said feeder, means for causing the feeder and the top sheet periodically to come into and more out of contact, a support for said bar comprising a pivoted arm, and means for causing the automatic periodic movement of said bar into and out of contact with the top sheet, comprising a toggle joint connected to said arm and means for oscillating the same, said toggle joint being adapted to straighten to positively su port said arm when said arm is raised s ciently, substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a feedboard, a rotatable feeder overlying the same, ada ted to buckle the top sheet of a pile on the eedboard and feed it from the feedboard, a bar parallel to the feeder and adapted to coact with the top sheet to determine the extent of the sheet to be buckled by said feeder, means for rocking the feedboard into and out of position to bring the top sheet into contact with the feeder, means for causing the movement of the bar into and out of contact with the top sheet, including devices for supporting the bar in an inoperative position to which it may be manually moved, and means whereby the upward movement of the feedboard, when said bar is supported in said ino erative position, breaks the support of sai bar, substantially as set forth.

4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a feedboard, a feeder overlying the feedboard, a bar arallel to the feeder and adapted to coact wlth the top sheet of a pile on the feedboard to determine the portion of the sheet to be buckled by the feeder, pivoted arms supporting said bar, and a toggle connected to each of said arms to support the arms and the bar carried thereby in an elevated inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a feedboard, a feeder overlying the fcedboard, a bar parallel to the feeder and adapted to coact with the top sheet of a pile on the feedboard to determine the portion of the sheet to be buckled by the feeder, pivoted arms supportin said bar, and a toggle connected to each 0 said arms to support the arms and the bar carried thereby in an elevated position, means for moving the feedboard to carry the pile thereon away from the bar and feeder, means for returning the feedboard into cooperative relation to the feeder, and means actuated by the return movement of the feeder for buckling said toggles, substan tially as set forth.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a feedboard, a feeder overlying the feedboard, a bar parallel to the feeder and adapted to coact with the top sheet of a pile on'the feedboard to determine the portion of the sheet to be buckled by the feeder, means for moving the bar periodically away from and into position to coact with the top sheet, said means permitting the manual moving of the bar to an inoperative position diflerent from any of the positions of its periodic movement, and means for positively supporting said bar in such inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

7. In apparatus of the character described,

the combination of a rocking feedboard, a bar above the same adapted to contact the top sheet of a pile on the same, a pivoted arm carryin said bar, means for oscillating said arm and for supporting the same in an inoperative elevated position when desired, means including a lever and a handle for lowering the feedboard, and means operated during the return upward movement of the feedboard, when said arm is so ported in such inoperative position, for rendering said supporting means ineifective to longer support said am in such inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 4th day of March, 1915.

ALBERT B. DICK. lrVitnesses:

R. R. Hsmnxe'ron, U. G. CASE.

copies at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, By addressing the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0-

Correction in It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent- No. 1,140,8S-1, granted May 25,

improvement in Shae/[Feeding Apparatus, an error appears in the printed epecification requiring correction as follows:' Page 1, line 32, strike out the Words .to

that the Said Letters Patent shoiild he read with this correction therein that the same mayconforni to the, record of the ease in the Patent ()flice.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of June, A. D., 1915.

[SEAL] J. T. NEWTON,

Awn ng Commissioner of Patents 1915, upon the application of Albert B. Dick, of Lake Forest, Illinois, for an vary the area of the sheet" and inhert the Words of tin Mp sheet f Mm @110; and 

